Serial release mechanism and drainage monitor embodying the same

Abstract

A serial release mechanism, and a discharge monitor including the mechanism, which mechanism includes first and subsequent actuators slidable in a frame between working and withdrawn positions, springs urging the subsequent actuators into their working positions, latch tabs carried by the subsequent actuators and triggers resiliently pivoted to the frame for releasably retaining the subsequent actuators in their withdrawn positions, a shaft of noncircular cross section and a plurality of saddles for releasing the triggers of the subsequent actuators and having operating fingers and being rotatable with the shaft and slidable therealong between first positions in which they are aligned with the triggers and second positions in which they are not so aligned, saddle springs resiliently urging the saddles along the shaft into their second positions, and shifter springs carried by the actuators and the frame, and effective when any actuator is in working position to displace the succeeding saddle into its first position, so that subsequent rotation of the shaft causes the finger to release the trigger.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A discharge monitor comprising, in combination: (1) a liquid collector including a series of storage chambers, a header for supplying liquid to said chambers, and collapsible tubes connecting said chambers to said header; and   (2) a control unit for serially causing collapse of said tubes to cut off passage for liquid to said chambers, said control unit including (a) a series of actuators normally urged resiliently into first, working positions;   (b) trigger means releasably holding said actuators in second, withdrawn positions;   (c) trigger release means effective in a first state, when operated, to release said trigger means;   (d) means for operating said trigger release means;   (e) disabling means normally effective to actuate said trigger release means into a second state in which release of said trigger means thereby is prevented; and   (f) override means effective, when any actuator in a series is in working position, to override the release disablement of only the next actuator in the series, so that successive operation of the operating means causes successive release of said actuators singly in series.     
     
     
       2. A discharge monitor comprising, in combination: means supplying a liquid to be distributed; first and second storage chambers for receiving said liquid;   first and second collapsible elastic tubes for conducting said liquid to said chambers;   first and second actuators slidable in a frame between withdrawn positions and working positions in which they collapse said tubes to prevent liquid from flowing therethrough;   resilient means urging said second actuator into said working position;   trigger means, including a latch tab carried by said second actuator and a trigger resiliently pivoted to said frame, for releasably retaining said second actuator in said withdrawn position;   trigger release means including a shaft of noncircular cross section and a saddle having an operating finger, said saddle being rotatable with said shaft and slidable therealong between a first position, in which said finger is aligned with said trigger, and a second position, in which said finger is not aligned with said trigger;   disabling means, including a saddle spring, resiliently urging said saddle along said shaft into said second position, so that rotation of said shaft does not cause release of said trigger;   means for displacing said first actuator into its working position to prevent liquid flow to said first chamber;   and override means including a shifter spring carried by said first actuator and said frame, and effective when said first actuator is in working position to displace said saddle into said first position, so that subsequent rotation of said shaft causes said finger to release said trigger, to prevent liquid flow to said second chamber.